Family tells BBC they want ‘justice’

The mother of a woman who police say was murdered before her body was left in a car boot in east London has told the BBC: “I just want justice for my daughter”.

Harshita Brella’s mother, Sudesh Kumari, spoke through tears to the BBC from the family home in Delhi.

Ms Brella’s father, Satbir Brella, added: “I want my son-in-law to be brought to justice and I want my daughter’s body brought home.”

Ms Brella was “very excited” to move to the UK in April after an arranged marriage with Pankaj Lamba, her sister Sonia Dabas said.

Northamptonshire Police believe Mr Lamba murdered Ms Brella and then fled the country after transporting the 24-year-old’s body by car to Ilford, east London.

Her father described his daughter as simple and studious. He said she wanted to be a teacher and would spend her days tutoring children in their home in Delhi, before turning to her own studies.

The family said they had last spoken to Ms Brella by phone on 10 November.

She told them she had made dinner and was waiting for Mr Lamba to come home, her sister said.

Ms Dabas said her sister’s phone was off for the next two days and by 13 November they “thought something was wrong” and asked people they knew to file a complaint.

Northamptonshire Police said it was contacted on Wednesday regarding concerns for her welfare – and that led to the discovery of her body and the launch of a murder investigation.

Ms Dabas explained that her sister and Mr Lamba had entered into an arranged marriage, with a legal wedding held in August 2023. The couple then had their traditional Indian ceremony on 22 March of this year before they left for the UK around 30 April – settling in Corby, Northamptonshire.

Mr Lamba was a student in London, she said, and her sister had been working in a warehouse.

Ms Dabas said her sister “didn’t live a very happy life in London”.

“She struggled a lot because of her husband,” she said.

At the end of August Ms Brella phoned her father in India to say she had run away, her sister said.

“She said he was hitting her and she escaped. She ran out on the streets, he chased after her and hit her there as well,” Ms Dabas said.

“There was a local who saw this and asked what happened which is why he left her. Harshita called someone she knew who came to pick her up”.

The Northamptonshire Telegraph reported she was the subject of a domestic violence protection order, saying it was made in early September and lasted 28 days.

Police have since confirmed the order had been in place before Ms Brella’s death.

The force said it had made a mandatory referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct because there was previous contact with Ms Brella.